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Jordan Creek Falls is, simply put, absolutely immense. Short of a flooding Snoqualmie Falls, I'm honestly not sure there is another waterfall in the Pacific Northwest that is both accessible in one day and anywhere near as powerful as Jordan Creek Falls is. The only waterfalls I know of in the state that rival it in terms of grandeur and power are all located deep in the backcountry of North Cascades National Park (see the Top 100 list to find out which ones). Jordan Creek Falls can be seen from Highway 20 in Marblemount at a distance of over 5 miles and even at that span is quite a spectacle. Up close the falls are subjected to a rather severe case of foreshortening, but I feel fairly confident that I was able to get an accurate measurement of the height of the falls at 588 feet (if anything, an underestimate). Jordan Creek is fed by two good sized lakes in a fairly spacious drainage area above the falls, so it maintains a pretty decent flow all year long, but because there is no ice feeding the creek, the flow does drop noticeably in the late summer, so if you want to bag this one, do it in June when its at its at its utmost gargantuosity.
- Jordan Creek Falls is the Official name of this waterfall.
Jordan Creek Falls is found just outside the town of Marblemount in the North Cascades. In Marblemount, head east on the Cascade River Road where Highway 20 turns north. Turn left in 3/4 mile onto Rockport-Cascade Road and drive another 3/4 mile to the Jordan Creek bridge. About 200 feet before the bridge is a gated logging road on the left. Park here and get ready for a long slog uphill - its a little over 4 miles straight up the road. There will be four major forks in the road - the first two head sharply left and you want to stay right (straight) on both, the second two stay left. After the fourth fork, the road exits the clearcuts and gets markedly brushier, but the route is still obvious (there is a short marshy section where a stream has overtaken the road. The old roadbed ends in front of a large wall of boulders covered in devils club and various forms of nasty looking thorny bushes. From here the falls are another 300 feet upstream, pick whatever route you so choose. After punching through the sticker bushes the forest becomes open and easy to traverse (though a little thick right next to the falls). The whole journey to the falls is remarkably easy, but due to the steady 2000 foot elevation gain and the short stretch of bushwhacking at the end, I've given it a difficult rating.
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